Eric

A hardcore look at life in the U.S since 2001

Revisado: 04-06-19

One of my favorite books in a long time. While its timeframe is often addressed, I've not read/heard a report such as this before. The writer and the readers bring each character to life as well as his/her relationship to the politics and human condition and circumstance they inhabit--in a relatively small town in the Midwest. If you're too removed from the crises of life that affect so many of us, this will wake you up. Can't recommend it enough. I'm going to see what else Markley has to offer.

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Tedious read but delightful reader Amanda Dolan

Revisado: 02-14-19

I was so bored by Kiesling's self-absorption. Though she pretended that she was fascinated by her daughter, she was really fascinated by herself--and every sentence contained a "look at me, look how awesome I am" vibe. Big, big ego even as she self-deprecated. Anxious moms may enjoy it. The reader, however, did an amazing job. Kudos to Amanda Dolan

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Disappointing

Revisado: 12-23-18

OMG. I just finished Meg Wolitzer's The Feminine Persuasion and listening to Unsheltered and my reaction to both is the same. These women have disappeared into preachy messages that we've all learned long ago. I really believe that both books are suitable for 5th graders. They might have excited me when I was ten. I'd even be surprised if book clubs could make something of this effort.

And I can't imagine why the recording company let Kingsolver read her own book though I'm not sure that a more talented reader could have made much of this pathetic story. Still, I was so embarrassed for her as she read sometimes--it took the focus away from the book.

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Disappointing

Revisado: 08-08-18

Gessen is a smart guy and Ari Fliakos one of my favorite readers but this book could not get off the ground. The protagonist was a whiny, whiny guy who, despite his academic achievements, seemed clueless about how life works. A sorry portrait of some academicians who expect to be funded and granted and fellowshipped forever with no apparent exchange of equivalent value.

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Worth my time

Revisado: 09-29-17

I usually rail against authors who perform their own books but I didn't mind Sedaris though he drones on, too. He looks at life from a different perspective than I, as if I were tall and he was an 8 pound Maltese walking beside me or vice versa. For sure, we don't see and marvel upon the same things. But I pretty much enjoyed his odd-to-me take on mundane life and I jotted down a number of his suitable-for adolescent boys jokes in order to share them with my friends. None of us is an adolescent boy but we laughed ourselves silly. Have you ever seen an ant-eater? No. What about your uncle?

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I am an Eggers fan

Revisado: 09-29-17

To the extent that I was able to get that this is a comedy and to the extent that I could amuse myself by comparing Josie, Paul and Ana to, say, Lewis and Clark, I enjoyed it. And the performance was extraordinary. However, I never had an ounce of like for Josie and could barely tolerate one more minute of her hairbrained and narcissistic schemes. Moreover, though she would consistently make 25 terrible decisions in a row, in the next moment, she'd know in her bones exactly the right thing to do. Absolutely self-deceived, a risk-to-life-and-limb threat to self and children and, as I said, unlikable, I wouldn't follow her anywhere.

The Hallelujah quality of the ending was also amusing--Josie was always winding herself up for heaps of self-appreciation.

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Hard to like

Revisado: 06-24-17

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. I was thrilled to be in Bulgaria but the goose chases and the explanations for them were ridiculous. I like Kostova and speaking in some of the voices the narrator was wonderful. But the old ladies were impossible to listen to and the main character was absolutely unlikable--more Kostova's fault than Kreinik's. I actually felt jerked around, a sucker for listening so long.

Did Barrie Kreinik do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

I think Kreinik did a great job. However, the voices chosen for the old ladies were so shrill and cackling. I had to read those parts.

Could you see The Shadow Land being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I wouldn't watch it.

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Exquisite retelling of ancient tale

Revisado: 06-08-17

Would you listen to House of Names again? Why?

A friend who had just read it recommended it to me. I had no idea what it was about and had I known, I probably would not have purchased it. But it was a wonderful, gripping and educational listen and I intend to recommend it far and wide.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

All the narrators did a splendid job but I am a big fan of Juliet Stevenson and enjoyed her reading the most.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It didn't make me laugh or cry. It brought alive plays I read in college eons ago and reawakened my understanding of a relevant historical period.

Any additional comments?

Toibin is a very fine writer and there is no one to whom I would not recommend this audible presentation. None of it is "hard," but I think a listener would get mesmerized by the book more swiftly than a reader.

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As good a book as An Unnecssary Woman

Revisado: 05-27-17

If you could sum up I, The Divine in three words, what would they be?

I can't believe I waited more than a year to listen to I, the Divine, after listening to An Unnecessary Woman which was, in my opinion, informative and poignant and is now one of my favorite books, ever. Kudos to Alameddine and Marno.

What other book might you compare I, The Divine to and why?

Strangely enough, this books reminds me of Miriam Toews' All My Puny Sorrows. Both have very appealing protagonists whose every word seems honest.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked them all.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

Don't miss this book. Don't miss An Unnecessary Woman. Don't miss Miriam Toews' All My Puny Sorrow.

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Police procedural? Crime story?

Revisado: 05-27-17

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Although I really enjoyed the performance and think Winslow tells a great story, its rhythm and pace and ambience were virtually the same as they were in The Power of the Dog. Still, since I generally listen to books in my car, Winslow helps to pass the time.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Well, The Power of the Dog was my first Winslow and I thorougly enjoyed it but with The Cartel I felt as if I were listening to it again. I am not well-versed in crime novels; perhaps all which feature the same character, in this case Art Keller, are repetitive.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

I think he did a bang-up job with each and every.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

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